Diary of a Smart Black Woman

Juice Feasting: An Odyssey - Part 2

2012-01-14T19:37:00.012-05:00

I had one really cranky, cravin' food kinda day - about 4 days into the fast. I had a few sips of this and it instantly had an amazing, calming effect on me! Just as important, one small glass was incredibly filling. This one's a keeper!!

On January 1st, we set out to do a two week Juice Feast- and we made it! Today marks day 14 of consuming only fresh fruit and vegetable juice.

The BIGGEST challenge has NOT been HUNGER. Yes, of course we have dealt with our fair share of hunger pangs, but since we are getting all of our daily caloric requirements, we recognize that it wasn't true hunger we were feeling most of the time - but just cravings. In fact, we each only felt real hunger 2 or 3 days out of the 14 - and this was usually when we had done a lot of activity or waited too long between drinking juices. So no, the biggest challenge wasn't not eating. The biggest challenge was finding new ways to stimulate ourselves that didn't involve food.

This time has given us a great opportunity to step back and realize just how much of our lives we spend eating for pleasure. Besides our 2 or 3 regular meals a day (we're often breakfast skippers), we frequently eat both when we're bored AND when we're having a good time (watching movies, hanging with friends, etc.). I know we're not alone in this. So many people have social lives that seem to revolve, or at least heavily involve, eating. One of our goals in this juicing experience is to change our habits so we are not just eating because it's time to eat or because - "hey, why not?". Yes, we still love eating, but we really wanted to create the space to give ourselves other things that give us pleasure.

So what have we done to fill up our time during this Juice Feast?

We've gone hiking at a few different parks, walking around our neighborhood, done yoga, played card games, and watched a few documentaries and comedies. We even did a bit of work for our business: New Family Naturals.

We've both done a good deal of reading - usually several hours a day. Engin has started blogging on his new Turkish-language blog. At my request, he's also making me an awesome copper wind chime, tuned to a popular middle eastern scale (giddy with excitement over that one :).

All-in-all, it's been pretty low key - and we wouldn't have had it any other way. We've really enjoyed our time to relax and just hang with each other.

I thought I'd end this post with the recipe to the drink pic posted above.

Calming Cantaloupe Juice - 2 servings

1 cantaloupe, seeded and skin removed.
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.

Put cantaloupe and dash of each spice in blender. Blend until smooth and strain through cheesecloth or nut milk bag.

Pour in 2 glasses and enjoy with a loved one!

All the best,

Toya

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Juice Feasting: An Odyssey

2012-01-08T14:23:00.000-05:00

Other than a select few family members and friends, I haven't told anyone that I am doing a Juice Feast. Today marks day 8 that I have only had fruit and vegetable juices to "eat."

The reason that I haven't told anyone is because I just wasn't sure if I could do it. I've done short juice fasts in the past, but I have been feeling rather "out of control" when it comes to food lately, so I wasn't quite convinced I would make it beyond one or two days without chomping down on something deliciously bad for me.

Now that I have safely made it beyond the first week, I feel a bit more confident in announcing the fact that I plan to do a prolonged fast. I am hoping to use this time to break some food addictions I've developed, as well as release some of the many pounds that have crept up since spending time at Optimum Health Institute (OHI) in 2010.

What is a Juice Feast? I'll generally go with the developing alt. health phenomena of naming this a "feast" rather than a fast because I am consuming more than 1200 calories a day in juice, as opposed to a juice "fast" which typically gets one around 500 calories a day. Since you are still meeting the body's caloric needs, it is meant to be something anyone can do regardless of any family or work obligations you might have.

Regardless of semantics, this is still a fast in that I'm abstaining from a very huge part of life - eating. I am quite fortunate that I do not have to show up to a 9-5 gig during this time. Although your body still is getting the nutrition it needs, giving up all the junk you are used to can be quite a shock for the body and mind to get used to. I'd much rather have this time to retreat from outside demands so I'm not distracted from my goals. Luckily, my husband has taken off 2 weeks from work to join me on this juicing adventure, as it is really much easier when you have a partner to help with the actual juicing as well as provide much appreciated support and encouragement.

Although I'm still having massive cravings for all manner of bizarre foods, I am becoming used to the idea that this is just not part of my reality right now.

What do you juice? So you may be wondering what exactly I've been consuming. The best thing about feasting, versus fasting is that I drink as much juice as I want. I also drink water too, of course. If I'm feeling particularly starved, I might have 5 or 6 juices in one day. Generally, I hang around 4 or 5 juices a day though. Although I often change what I juice from day to day, here are some of my common concoctions:

Breakfast: fresh squeezed orange juice

Mid-morning: baby spinach, romaine, celery, lemon, ginger juice

Lunch: tomato, bell pepper, kale, chard, parsley, radish, lemon, kelp, spices (we call this our "soup juice")

Dinner: carrot, celery

Dessert: pineapple, parsley

Now that you know what I'm up to, I look forward to sharing more with you in the days to come.

Much love,

Toya

Asian-Style Noodles - A Raw Food Recipe (Guest Blog)

2011-04-08T16:53:00.000-04:00

[The following is a guest blog post from my good friend, and former personal chef, The Wellness Woman (Visit her blog here). We recently made and enjoyed this delicious kelp noodle meal together. And before you say KELP?!, no it doesn't taste fishy. It tastes like real pasta. It truly was out of this world – delicious. I suggest you grab yourself some kelp noodles and try this dish, pronto. Hope you enjoy!]

A Raw Foodie’s Pasta Paradise – by The Wellness Woman

Growing up I loved to eat pasta. And pasta loved me back so much it gave me a big hug and wouldn’t let go, clinging to my body in excess fat and bloating. Yep, the song is true, sometimes love does hurt. I realized this relationship wasn’t working so I broke up with my pasta pal and transitioned onto a raw food diet saying ciao to the pasta pounds.

I loved my new svelte self and the extra energy and radiance I experienced from being a raw foodie, although I must admit I sometimes craved my old versatile friend that made many meals so delicious and filling. I tried to fill the gap by spiralizing zucchini, carrots, and even parsnips. Even though it was tasty, it wasn’t really the same.

Just when I thought I would have to suck it up and live without my beloved pasta fix forever, I discovered it…

Kelp noodles.

Now, that might not sound too appealing (neither does excess fat and bloating) but I can assure you they taste AMAZING. And wanna know something even more amazing? Kelp noodles are nutritious AND (yes, there’s more!) are gluten-free, fat-free and only 6 calories per serving. (Feel free to pause reading here while doing your happy dance).

Kelp noodles are easier to prepare than traditional pasta too. No waiting around for water to boil, just rinse in warm water and give them a quick massage with your hands. To soften the noodles further, try marinating them in nama shoyu and a bit of nut butter. Here is my one of my favorite recipes, which is quick, easy and delicious.

I package Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles, rinsed

2 Tablespoon cashew butter

2 Tablespoons nama shoyu (soy sauce)

1 red pepper, julienned

large handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

pinch cayenne

topped with a generous serving of alfalfa sprouts

This is one example, but to be honest, take whatever fresh vegetables you find in the fridge and add it to the noodles. Try peas, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, avocados…it all tastes great. Go Italian with garlic and herbs or Thai with mint, basil, and ginger. Get creative, have fun and enjoy pasta AND your svelte self!

[Editor's note: You can get some kelp noodles here. I recommend ordering more than one bag; you'll be glad you did!]

Winter's Brew (Glühwein)

2010-12-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, one of my husband's friends brought us a huge bag of juicy sweet raisins from Turkey. They were so good, but unlike the raisins we buy here, they had seeds in them. I wanted to find a way to enjoy them while they're still fresh, so I brought out my crock pot and came up with this drink. It's a warm, sweet mulled-spices drink. It tastes just like German Glühwein - except it's completely alcohol free. It's a great family-friendly alternative to hot apple cider. It's so good, if I do say so myself! :)

Winter's Brew (AF Glühwein)

2 cups raisins
Peel of 1 orange
1/4 cup dried elderberries (great for colds and congestion - get it in the bulk herbs section of your local health food store)
1 whole nutmeg (use one you've already grated from)
1 dried clove (use more if you like - I just like a hint of it)
1 small stick cinnamon
Cheesecloth or nutmilk/nylon bag

Place everything in your nylon (nutmilk) bag or a large piece of cheesecloth. Tie the bag or, if using cheesecloth, gather ends together and tie at the top. Place in a crock pot/electric ceramic cooker. Fill with water 1 inch from the top (I don't know the exact capacity of my crock pot - but it's large - though the pic below doesn't represent that well).

Turn crock pot to the highest setting and place the top on it. Every few hours, use a large spoon to press on bag (to help crush the softened raisins).

Let your brew stew for 6-8 hours. More sugar will be released from the raisins the longer you stew it- and the sweeter it will be.

Serve warm! This is a delicious drink to serve at parties or to enjoy with family on a cold day.

Tip: The elderberries give this a great fruity taste. If you can't find them, try frozen cherries or dried blueberries.

I hope you'll give this a try!

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What I would do for 5 dollars

2010-12-10T11:38:00.001-05:00

I'm working on a qualifying paper, a precursor to doing my PhD dissertation. I think it will determine whether or not I will/can continue in the program. Not 100% sure I want to, though :) --- It's been a hectic and fast year.

I'm glad I had the summer off where I spent nearly 3 months at Optimum Health Institute in San Diego. Even got to visit their facility in Austin a few weeks ago....

Anyhow, on to what I would do for five bucks.

I've been editing and writing for about 10 years now - for the past five, consulting on everything from government documents to fiction/non-fiction manuscripts. Due to school, I had to get out of major professional writing, but was still able to manage a few large/ongoing editing jobs a year.

However, since I really don't have a lot of time these days, I figured I'd try doing a lot of small jobs. In comes a website I stumbled upon: www.fiverr.com

You can find a whole host of things people are willing to offer up or want to buy for $5. It's pretty cool.

I know a lot of people out there are looking for jobs (I guess I sorta am too :), so I figured offering a proofing service for resume cover letters would be a fun way to try the service out.

What would YOU do for five dollars?

Check it out:

http://www.fiverr.com/users/toyatanis/gigs/edit-your-cover-letter

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OHI Raw Food Detox Program - Days 3-7

2010-06-17T11:09:00.001-04:00

Detox Day 7 ---- 13 pounds down so far.

We did a 3 day juice fast the first week. There were two basic juices

1. the hypoglycemic "hypo" juice: cucumber, celery, zucchini, chard, green cabbage, bok choy, mixed sprouts, parsley, basil, kale, ginger, fennel, kelp and dulse.

2. regular juice: the same as the hypo plus beets and carrots are added.

Breakfast is always some type of fruit, such as watermelon (my favorite), cantaloupe soup (super yum), orange and grapefruit wedges or whole fruit applesauce. Most other meals consist of sprouts, mixed salad, a vegan seed cheese - which are basically seeds which are soaked, ground, fermented and seasoned, and some side dish. Past side dishes have included raw crackers, guacamole, half an avocado, radish salad, sauerkraut, seaweed salad, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper spears or cucumbers. Although I do love the avocado and guac., they do slow down the detox for people who don't want to lose a lot of weight.

One of these days I'll take pics of what they serve. Cheers!

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Optimum Health Institute (OHI) Days 1-2

2010-06-10T14:33:00.000-04:00

So today is actually my fourth day at the holistic health, body, mind detox center (OHI) and I'm feeling exhausted but fantastic. All the food is raw but not gourmet at all, but I really don't mind. I'm having a great time. Part of the detox is also detaching from phones, tv, and internet as much as possible..so I'm only going to upload a video every few days. I will be documenting as much as I can about the program though for people who are interested in coming to OHI themselves or would like to do something similar on their own.

The vid. below is just an introduction to the program and my first couple of days here. Peace and greens! - Toya

Eritrean Fiery Potato Stew (D'Nish Zigni) - Recipe

2010-05-24T15:15:00.001-04:00

I made this recipe in honor of "Africa Day" designated for May 25th, 2010. I was inspired to put this post together by Casey Angelova over at "Eating, Gardening & Living in Bulgaria" who encouraged other foodies and bloggers to help recognize the diverse and often under-appreciated cuisine from the African Continent. At first I had no idea what to make because I don't have a lot of experience with African cuisine. The more I thought about it though, I knew I wanted to try and re-create an awesome potato dish I had at my Eritrean friend's house several months ago. So, I did a search for some recipes online and found something that sounded like what I remembered eating. Although it doesn't compare to the authentic Eritrean spicy potatoes my friend's mom made that day, it is pretty darn close.

When I originally tried to recreate this a few months ago, it didn't come out quite right--but that's because it was missing one key ingredient: Berbere. Berbere is a staple in Eritrean cuisine. It is a complex blend of chilis, peppercorns and lots of other spices that I don't normally use, such as fenugreek, cardamom, cloves and coriander ---I would liken it to a super hot Indian curry spice - but African style. It also includes the more familiar cinnamon and allspice. You can get the complete recipe for Eritrean Berbere here.

Other than mixing and roasting the spices for the Berbere, the recipe itself was pretty easy (Note: If you do decide to make your own berbere, make sure you open a window! The aroma from roasting and stirring a bunch of chilis caused lots of whooping and coughing in my house! :). Overall, I was really pleased with how this came out. The dish is so simple, yet the flavors are so complex. Served along with some pita and yogurt (I used Turkish pide), this makes a great lunch entree or dinner side dish. I hope you'll give it a try.

D'Nish Zigni (Fiery Potato Stew)
(Recipe taken from recipeisland.com - which was adapted from Olivia Warren's "Taste of Eritrea.")

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion — Chopped
4 Teaspoons Berbere — Or Hot Sauce
6 Medium Potato — Cubed ( I peeled before cutting)
1 Can Tomato Paste
1 Teaspoon Salt
4 Cups Chicken Stock (I used vegetable broth)

Directions: Saute onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add berbere, and potatoes, saute for 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and salt, simmer for 10 more minutes (I simmered 25 minutes instead of 10). Serve with injera or pita bread.

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What the Heck is Raw Food? -- Plus some resources to get you started!

2010-05-19T23:25:00.003-04:00

Photo courtesy of my bud Aimee "The Wellness Woman." You can find the recipe to this gorgeous all Raw Bento Box here. Aimee is an amazing raw food chef and an inspiring life coach. She has also graciously agreed to do a guest post for my blog in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

So, What the Heck is Raw Food Anyway?

The terms "Raw Food" and to a lesser degree "Living Cuisine" have been making their way into the mainstream public's consciousness recently. This is due in part to a few celebrities who've adopted a raw foods lifestyle (... Anyone remember the hoopla surrounding Demi Moore's amazing bikini body when she appeared in the Charlie's Angels movie? Well, she achieved her svelte figure by going raw.).

But what exactly is raw food, you may be asking. Simply put, raw food consists of fresh, minimally processed and uncooked ingredients. Raw foodists are almost all exclusively vegan or vegetarian, so in this sense, raw food does not refer to raw meat and seafood. As an additional guideline, if you pick up any raw foods book (see resources list below), you'll read that food is no longer considered "raw" once it has been heated above a certain temperature -- most agree that's somewhere between 105 and 118 degrees.

So what do raw foodists eat?

Well, it's not just salads. There's an unending supply of fabulous raw food recipes out there (one of my favorites is raw, vegan lasagna). Still, leafy green vegetables, including wild greens and sprouts are usually at the top of a raw foodist's menu. Then there's a healthy dose of fruits (both sweet and unsweet), nuts and seeds, and fats/oils (avocados, coconut, olives). Some also include seaweeds and so-called "super foods" such as maca, cacao (raw chocolate) and goji berries. (more about super foods another day).

Some people do eat a 100% raw food diet. However, this is just not realistic for most (especially me), so many who are into the raw foods lifestyle eat "high raw" where they strive to eat anywhere from a 60% to 90% fresh, plant based diet.

Why would people eat only raw food?

There are many reasons why people adopt this way of eating. Many health buffs are turned on by the super high content of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients this diet offers; still, others claim this diet gives them more energy, improves digestion and makes them more conscious of where their food comes from; but the major reason people go raw is because they are facing some sort of health challenge. For instance, there are many people who have reversed their type-II diabetes and have completely come off of insulin after going raw. While training as a raw food chef, I even met one Type-I diabetic who has been able to significantly reduce the number of daily insulin shots by eating a diet high in raw foods.

Though, the biggest impetus behind people going raw seems to be Weight Loss. This is certainly true for me. Do a google search for before and after pics of people on a raw diet. There are some really amazing stories of people who have shed massive amounts of weight on this diet. One woman (Angela Stokes-Monarch), for example, lost and kept off about 160 pounds eating this way. The reason why people lose so much weight on raw foods is because raw foods are nutritionally dense but still low in calories. Thus you can eat a lot more raw food by volume while still consuming significantly fewer calories than you would by eating cooked food. Raw food also has more dietary fiber than cooked food, which is great for weight loss since foods with fiber make you feel fuller longer.

A Diet for the Masses?

Many people think that a 100% raw food diet is too restrictive. I happen to be one of them, but I think that it is a great Healing Diet, and periods of all raw can be great after days (or weeks) of eating too much junk. (Speaking of healing diets, I will be doing 3 weeks at Optimum Health Institute in June --stay tuned for my video-blogs about my experience!)

So, even though all raw many not be for everyone, most people could stand to add a little more fresh fruits and vegetables into their diets. And if you're feeling stuck in a salad rut and want to find fun new, healthy ways to feed your family, I highly recommend you give some raw food recipes a try.

Some Raw Food Resources

The following is a partial list of some raw food resources I've found helpful over the years. Although I do not agree with every opinion in the raw food movement, I like the overall messages of the people and products below and I think they are a great resource for beginners. Still, with most things in life, I take what is good for me, learn from it, and leave the rest behind. I suggest you do the same.

The Raw Food Detox Diet, by Natalia Rose

Super accessible, with multiple transition plans to help you incorporate more raw foods into your diet...especially for those who do not wish to go 100% raw. I also really liked her "raw before dinner" recommendations.

Everyday Raw, by Matthew Kenney

This is, by far, my favorite raw food recipe book of all time! It has everything: soups, salads, snacks, desserts, main courses and more. The mango wrapper on the cover is what prompted me to buy this book, and it did not disappoint!

The Vita-Mix blender

This blender is used by professional chefs and kitchens (such as on Food Network's Iron Chef Kitchen stadium) and it's usually the go-to-gadget for raw foodists everywhere. I even know people who travel with theirs! See my glowing review of the amazingness that is the Vita-Mix here.

Online Raw Food Shopping

Most things I need I can get at a regular grocery store, at my local health food store or Whole Foods. However, when I need a specialty item or just feel like treating myself to a tasty treat, The Raw Food World is where I go. It's my online stop for raw goodies and natural/health items for my home.

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Research links pesticides with ADHD in children

2010-05-17T10:18:00.002-04:00

Crop duster in West Texas (Image Bank/Getty Images) - from ABCNews

Scientists have recently found a link between Attention Deficit Disorder and pesticides commonly used in food production-- Good news for organics, but bad news for the kids (and their parents). Maybe this will hush up some of the annoying "scientists" who call people quacks for seeking out organic alternatives. Of course one study won't change the world, but it might lead to more studies and hopefully challenge us (agricultural industry and consumers) to reassess and CHANGE how we choose to grow our food.

An excerpt of one of many articles on this topic is below (bold emphasis added by me); you can read the full version here.

From the Associated Press...

Children may be especially prone to the health risks of pesticides because they're still growing and they may consume more pesticide residue than adults relative to their body weight.
In the body, pesticides break down into compounds that can be measured in urine. Almost universally, the study found detectable levels: The compounds turned up in the urine of 94 percent of the children.

The kids with higher levels had increased chances of having ADHD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, a common problem that causes students to have trouble in school. The findings were published Monday in Pediatrics.

The children may have eaten food treated with pesticides, breathed it in the air or swallowed it in their drinking water. The study didn't determine how they were exposed. Experts said it's likely children who don't live near farms are exposed through what they eat.

"Exposure is practically ubiquitous. We're all exposed," said lead author Maryse Bouchard of the University of Montreal.

She said people can limit their exposure by eating organic produce. Frozen blueberries, strawberries and celery had more pesticide residue than other foods in one government report.

A 2008 Emory University study found that in children who switched to organically grown fruits and vegetables, urine levels of pesticide compounds dropped to undetectable or close to undetectable levels.

(Continue reading here)

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Pineapple Mango Lassi - Smoothie Recipe

2010-05-10T20:30:00.001-04:00

So, my final exams still aren't over -- I have my last one tomorrow --but my husband informed me that my self imposed "1 week break" from my blog has expired! lol : ) Thus, I've decided to take a quick break from sociolinguistics to put one of my latest creations up.

On Friday I had minor oral surgery (bit of bone and gum tissue removed - exciting stuff!) and unfortunately that means I've been taking antibiotics. Although I prefer natural remedies, I do feel like conventional medicine also has its place, in my life at least. With that in mind, I like to combat the bad effects of taking said antibiotics with some pro-active treatment. What bad effects you ask? Well, anti-biotics, while good at fending off infection, can wreak havoc on your intestinal flora, destroying the good bacteria that helps keep our tummies healthy. Antibiotics have also been known to cause recurrent yeast infections in some women. So what can you do about it, if you plan on downing your penicillin? I, personally, ALWAYS make sure to take probiotics -- 4 hours before or four hours after -- each time I take antibiotics --for the duration of my treatment...and for a few days after. Probiotics help by restoring the good bacteria, giving us "healthy guts." And for those skeptics of alternative medicine out there, recently, even main stream docs have been recommending probiotic therapy for when their patients take antibiotics.(Note: Antibiotics will destroy the probiotics if taken too close together.)

As for this tasty beverage, I normally don't like putting dairy in my smoothies (I'm not vegan, but I just don't prefer it). But seeing as I've been chewing-challenged, I've made an exception. Though, the real reason why I opted for yogurt (i.e., dairy) in this smoothie is because yogurt contains the probiotic acidophilus (among others)...Check out the side of a yogurt container. They should all say something like "contains live and active cultures" followed by which strains of good bacteria are present. These live and active cultures are super beneficial in maintaining digestive and intestinal health. So although I take my probiotics in pill form, for good measure I like to ingest mass quantities of yogurt during this time as well.

Although I may be using the term "lassi" somewhat loosely, I take full advantage of creative license here. I love mango lassis ( a tasty Indian beverage), thus mangos made it into this drink. The pineapple made it for another reason. Although there's only a small amount in this, I love pineapple because it contains the enzyme bromelain. Bromelain is great for indigestion (it's also the active agent in most meat tenderizing seasonings) and it also is an anti-inflammatory. Since my face and mouth have been a bit swollen, I figured a little food-grade anti-inflammatory medicine wouldn't hurt any.

Well, enough of the background info. Here's my contribution to all you yogurt-filled smoothie lovers out there! Hope you enjoy it!

Pineapple Mango Lassi - Smoothie Recipe - serves 2

1 1/3 cup yogurt
3/4 cup pineapple
1 cup mango (I used frozen)
1 Tbs honey
2-3 pieces ice
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste - optional

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth and serve!

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1 Week Break - Final Exams

2010-05-02T15:52:00.002-04:00

Dear luscious readers:

I've decided to break away from my blog for one whole week to prepare for final exams. I have lots of studying and a looong paper to write. Don't worry, though, I'll be back with the Raw Food article I promised. I'll also be coming at you live from Oklahoma City, OK, where I will be tasting and reviewing the cuisine at the cutting edge "105 Degrees" Raw Food Academy and Restaurant. Super exciting stuff. See you then!

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman.

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Music Post - My Husband's in a Music Video! :)

2010-05-01T11:51:00.008-04:00

Here's a Nature/Charity music video my husband is in. It's meant to help raise awareness about environmental issues and to encourage people to honor the earth. He has a 5 second spot - around minute 7. He's the one looking mildly disinterested (lol)..Yours truly was the camerawoman. It will be premiering on Turkish TV sometime next week...

Doga icin Cal 2 / Uzun ince bir yoldayim - official video from Doga icin cal on Vimeo.

Better than Salad - Collard Wraps - Recipe

2010-04-29T08:55:00.003-04:00

This recipe is basically a continuation of my previous post - the Creamy Maple Tahini Dipping Sauce. I meant to post this two days ago, but sheer laziness --and delight at having a few days off from school --got in the way ;) Although I often vary the seasonings I put in that dressing, I usually always have some version of it when I make collard wraps. I'm a hungry girl - and I love to eat! But, I've found that four or five of these wraps, paired with this rich and creamy dressing make for a gratifying and highly satisfying, healthy meal.

Now, when most people think of a wrap, they probably think of a flour tortilla, perhaps shredded lettuce, cheese and who knows what else. This, however, is a raw food version ("What the Heck is Raw Food" article to appear tomorrow) --and my wrap is made from collard leaves, instead of tortillas (great for gluten free diets). So when I'm sick of salad, but still want to get some fresh veggies onto my plate, these are great because they're basically like a salad - but refined and kicked up a notch.

Growing up, I never would have imagined eating collard greens raw. I didn't even know you could. If any of you come from households where Soul Foods or southern foods are featured prominently, then you know that collard greens - and nearly all vegetables - are cooked until they're soft and falling apart, or "tender" as my grandma likes to call them. Unfortunately, cooking your greens for over an hour destroys so many of the vital enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Although I still love my nana - and her greens, I will only eat them this way on holidays. I've been eating (and juicing) them raw for so long, I can't even fathom ever cooking mine. Of course, I'm not telling you not to cook your greens, but perhaps consider eating them raw sometimes, or if necessary, try to just lightly steam them.

Okay, back to the recipe...This is one of our all time favorite meals - cooked or raw. I highly recommend you give this a try!

Better than Salad - Collard Wraps (Serves 2)

6 collard leaves
1 red bell pepper
1 medium cucumber
1 package sprouts - alfalfa, radish or broccoli will do fine
1/2 carrot
3 Tbs basil - chiffonade or chopped
any other vegetable you like - optional (ex: spring onion, avocado, mint, radish)

To prepare the collard, simply cut along both sides of the stem in order to separate it from the leaves:

Discard the stem (or use for juicing). De-stem all 6 pieces of collard. You should now have 12 leaves/wraps. Next, julienne the carrot, cucumber and bell pepper. They should be about the size of 3 inch matchsticks.

To roll: Place a collard leaf with the darkest side down and the more veiny side facing up. This is where you will stack the vegetables. On the lower third of the leaf - the part closest to you - start stacking your veggies. Depending on the size of your leaves, place 4-5 pieces of each julienned vegetable on your leaf, leaving a bit hanging over each end. Next, top with a few pieces of the chopped basil and a generous bit of sprouts (Note: I ended up adding twice as many sprouts as what is pictured below).

Tightly, but carefully, roll the bottom flap over the stacked vegetables. Try to roll one side more tightly then the other so that you will get a slightly conical shape (this will make it easier, i.e., less messy to hold and dip in the sauce when it's time to eat them). Continue rolling all the way to the end of the leaf. Place seam side down on the plate.

Roll the remaining 11 leaves in the same manner as above. Serve and Enjoy!

Tip: These stay together quite well, considering they are not sealed. Still, I find it best to hold them by the side that is slightly smaller - this prevents veggie matter from coming out of both ends.

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

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Creamy Maple Tahini Dressing

2010-04-26T12:31:00.000-04:00

Looking for an Asian inspired dressing or dipping sauce? Then look no further, cause this one is spicy, sweet, creamy....and good enough to drink!

I use this as a dressing for hearty salads like romaine mixed with root vegetables (think carrots, beets, radishes). It's also AMAZING as a dip for crudites, veggie wraps, or vegetarian satays.

I really do love making homemade dressings and I hope you'll give this one a try.

Creamy Maple Tahini Dressing - (Makes a lil more than 2 cups)

1/2 cup tahini ( If you use almond or peanut butter, you'll need to increase the water)
3 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs + 1 tsp sesame oil (I used toasted)
3 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs maple syrup (If you don't have real maple syrup, use honey)
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice (I used a combination)
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 cup water
1/4 cup basil, chopped

Place all ingredients except basil in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add in basil and pulse until blended...leaving a few flecks of green visible. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving - This will allow sauce to thicken and flavors to combine. Enjoy!

Tip 1: I was a bit heavy handed with the soy. I meant to do 2 1/2 Tbs but managed to spill (inside the mix) while I was measuring! : )...I compensated for the extra saltiness by adding more water. Feel free to reduce the amount of soy if salt is a concern for you.

Tip 2: I used a bit of Thai basil in this, but regular basil tastes great too.

Tip 3: For a variation, try adding 2 Tbs of mint instead of basil, and/or honey instead of maple syrup.

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Tropical Green Nectar - Juice Recipe

2010-04-24T18:21:00.001-04:00

(If I do say so myself, this pic came out pretty great considering it's unedited)

I splurged and bought a nice plump guava at my local asian market last week. Since then, it's been hanging out in my fruit bowl, calling my name, begging to be put in a juice. It was also passing the peak of ripeness, with its intoxicating, outrageously sweet fragrance wafting through my living room. I knew it wouldn't last another few days before it went bad.

I wasn't planning on posting another juice recipe this week, but since this one is SO EASY to make (and so delicious), I figured I'd share. Quite frankly this is delicious as a juice or a smoothie - and I've had it both ways; but be warned: if you don't have a high speed blender (such as the VitaMix - which can crush avocado seeds) you should just have this drink as a juice because guava seeds probably won't be completely pulverized by a regular ol' store-bought blender. Either way, though, this is definitely a recipe for beginners, i.e., those not used to drinking vitamin-rich green drinks. Although there are greens in it, this is not bitter or earthy tasting at all. It's mildly sweet, incredibly fragrant and quite pleasing to the palate. Enjoy!

Tropical Green Nectar

1 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup mango - I used frozen
1 large guava (you'll know they're ripe if they smell like a piece of heaven!)
1 1/2 cups water

Process fruit and veg through juicer. Mix in water. Alternately, place fruit/veg AND water in blender. Strain through fine mesh. Serve on ice.

Tip: This juice is somewhat on the thick, nectar-y side. Because of the amount of fruit and the thickness, I added a bit more water than I usually do with my drinks. Use your discretion. If you "need" it sweeter, use less water; if you like your juice less sweet, like me, add up to 2 cups water.

Çoban Salatası (aka Shepherd's Salad)

2010-04-23T15:16:00.002-04:00

So this is another very traditional Turkish dish. I love it because it is so simple to make, yet still so delicious. It's a perfect spring or summer dish, pairing cool crunchy cucumbers with sweet and succulent tomatoes. It's so light; so refreshing; and so tasty. The folklore/history behind this dish is that shepherds, while out all day tending their flocks, would pick a bit of this and a bit of that..basically, whatever veggies were available out in the fields, and that's what they would eat while working. And well that's where the name comes from..as shepherd is "Çoban" and Salatası is, you guessed it, salad. There really is no set ingredient amount for this, so I'll just tell you how I made it last night.

Çoban Salatası (aka Shepherd's Salad) - Serves 4

2 cucumbers ( I seeded mine, but I don't usually)
4 roma tomatoes --or 2 large regular tomatoes (Again, I seeded mine, but I don't usually)
1/4 onion, chopped or minced - I used red -but use whatever you like
3 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup chopped (or minced) parsley
1 garlic clove, minced

Chop cucumbers and tomatoes, mix with remaining ingredients. Let rest at least 15 minutes so flavors combine. Serve.

Tip (1): I always like this dish a little on the lemony side. I've also had it made with more of an accent on the olive oil. So, if you don't want yours as lemony as I like mine, try increasing to 3 Tbs of olive oil.

Tip (2): I was in the mood for a chunkier salad last night. Generally, the veg in this dish are chopped a little finer than what I did. Have fun and play around - and make it however you like. This really is an easy-to-make, fail proof dish.

Cheers!

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I finally have a translator on my website!

2010-04-23T08:17:00.004-04:00

Turk ailem icin "Google Translator" mevcuttur. Sayfanin sol ust tarafindan dilinizi seciniz.Umarim isinize yarar. Sevgiler, Toya.

(Thanks to my husband for the updated, better Turkish translation than google was able to give me! lol)

I finally have a language translator on the website. Use the Google Translator logo on the left side of the page to select your language.

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Love Your Ovaries (aka Antioxidant Powerhouse) - Juice Recipe

2010-04-20T15:28:00.002-04:00

Earlier this month I saw an episode of a TV show called "The Doctors." The whole show was about 50 Dos and Don'ts for your health - with many alternative, do it yourself, methods for self care.

The show seems like it's trying to cater to a mainstream, pop culture audience, so I was really excited when they started talking about cures, remedies, and prevention protocols using food! In particular, they cited recent studies which showed that parsley and celery can help in the prevention of ovarian cancer.

Since these are two of my favorite juicing ingredients, this episode inspired me to make a vitamin-packed, ovary friendly, cancer-fighting drink. I rounded out this antioxidant powerhouse by adding other goodies known to help prevent ovarian cancer: blueberries, spinach, collard, and beet.

I talked about the benefits of dark, leafy greens here and beets here. So, now a bit about blueberries.

Blueberries, with their dark, blue-purple color, reportedly have the highest antioxidant (cancer-fighting) capacity of all fresh fruit. Further, a study at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center suggests that blueberries may help reduce belly fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Blueberries have also been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 40 percent in women. Ladies, I think that alone is reason enough to include them in your diet. Plus, they are, of course, amazing tasting on their own but they really give a great taste to drinks --and for whatever reason it's just fun to drink something purple.

A side note on blueberries: Although I won’t knock anyone who wants the thick creaminess that yogurt gives to a smoothie, if you're including blueberries in your drinks for cancer prevention, there's something you should know. I was really shocked to find that "milk destroys the antioxidant benefits in blueberries!" (See info here.)

The skinny on this juice - with the exception of the pear (which is great for fiber), all of the ingredients in this juice have been shown to be packed with ovarian cancer fighting nutrients. Of course these fruits and veggies have other health benefits - so guys, you can drink some too - but I think us ladies should definitely take some time out to focus on loving our ovaries. Enjoy!

Love Your Ovaries - aka - Antioxidant Powerhouse Juice

1 1/2 cup blueberries (I used frozen, because that's what I had)
1 pear
1 cup spinach, packed
1 cup collard greens, destemmed, packed
1 cup parsley, packed
3 ribs of celery
1/2 beet
1 cup water

Run all fruit and veg through your juicer and mix with water. If making in blender, place all ingredients in blender, strain through fine mesh and serve!

Tip: I'd classify this as an intermediate juice. For some, it might be getting out of the realm of the familiar, but I think it's quite tasty and refreshing. So if you're adventurous, go ahead and give it a try as is. If you are new to juicing, but still want to get some of the benefits, you might want to decrease the amount of beet to 1/4 and perhaps use only 1/2 cup of collards - this should cut down on the earthiness.

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

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Cream Pop Punch - Juice Recipe

2010-04-16T17:45:00.001-04:00

I never really liked creamsicles as a child. Yet, like many people, I find my tastes are constantly evolving as I get older. And today, for some strange reason, I found myself craving the taste of a creamsicle ice cream pop. For those who don't know - a creamsicle is a frozen vanilla ice cream bar enrobbed in an orange (juice) flavored shell. As a kid, there was something about the combination of orange and cream that just felt so wrong, but now it feels oh so right. I won't be going out to buy any real creamsicles anytime soon, but I've recreated my own version with a twist. I'm calling this one Cream Pop Punch. There's orange, a dash of vanilla, and.....bananas to give it a thicker, creamier texture. So, although there's no ice cream or dairy in this version, it's still nice and creamy and oh so dreamy. Enjoy!

Cream Pop Punch

1 1/2 cups dairy free milk (I used rice milk - soy, almond, or any other dairy free milk will work as well)
2 oranges, peeled
1 banana
dash of vanilla extract
10 pieces ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 2 - 3 servings.

Tip: Although the banana is by no means over powering - or the star of this drink, if you want nothing to do with bananas in your cream pop, try eliminating the banana and adding a half cup of yogurt - plain or vanilla flavored.

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Green Grape Cooler - Juice Recipe

2010-04-14T13:41:00.000-04:00

Those of you who've been following my blog know that I love greens - especially in my juice. I generally don't juice a lot with grapes, but I find that beginners, i.e., people new to juicing, do well with grapes because they're one fruit "normal" people consume on a regular basis. Grape juice is also used quite frequently in most commercial juices and juice blends you buy in the grocery store. For some reason, drinking cucumbers in water has gone more main stream, too, so newbies seem to like these in juice as well. I suppose it's all about familiarity and comfort.

This recipe isn't necessarily an everyday juice - due to the sweetness factor - but the combination of celery, cucumber, and collard are sure to give your body a healthy dose of minerals, thus refreshing and replenishing you after a workout or a hot day of basking in the sun.

Green Grape Cooler

1 cup green grapes
3 ribs celery
1 medium cucumber
5 large collard leaves - stems removed and discarded
1 cup water.

Method

If there are a lot of seeds in the cucumber, or if they are really large - simply spoon them out and discard - otherwise, juice the whole cucumber (sometimes really seedy cucumbers can give a bitter taste to juice).
If using a Juicer: Process all fruit and vegetables through juicer, mix with water and serve.
If using a Blender: Place all ingredients, including water, in the blender. Puree until smooth. Strain juice through a fine mesh strainer - to separate it from the pulp.

Serve on ice. - Enjoy!

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Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

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The Great Vegan Lava Cake Experiment

2010-04-13T14:10:00.000-04:00

This year for Valentine's day, I made lava cake for the very first time. I served it with whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar and some fresh raspberries. It had to be one of the best desserts I've ever had - ever. It was, however, EXTREMELY rich and sweet! There were 3 eggs, a whole lot of chocolate, and even more butter. Although, I knew I couldn't exactly make a healthy lava cake, I started thinking of how I could cut out at least some of the fat. This led me to the idea of a vegan lava cake. This version I came up with has no eggs and no butter; instead, I opted for pureed fruit (egg substitute) and coconut oil (butter replacement). I cooked it a lot longer then I would a traditional lava cake, baking it 20 minutes instead of 10 minutes, but when I removed it from the oven, it was still quite jiggly and wet inside, yet it was set on top. So we decided to take a quick post-dinner walk while the lava cake cooled. Unfortunately, I left the lava cakes on the sheet pan on top of the still-warm oven, and by the time we came back from our walk, the lava cakes were no longer so lava-y (more fudgey) and had completely set all the way through.

Looking back, I will definitely try this experiment again. Next time I will probably only use one type of fruit and won't let it "cool" on top of a warm stove. This vegan version was still very sweet like the original, but I think I will also reduce the amount of sugar next time since the fruit added a bit more sweetness. That being said, I liked it, but my husband loved it. In his words, the fact that a cake without eggs could taste this good was "revolutionary." While I wouldn't go that far, it was still rather tasty. Enjoy!

The Great Vegan Lava Cake Experiment #1

1 apple, peeled and deseeded
12 de-stemmed strawberries
1/4 cup water
6 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place jar of coconut oil under hot running water - or place jar in bowl filled with hot water. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature - so this will liquefy it.

Place apple, strawberries and water in blender or food processor - and puree until smooth. Strain puree through fine mesh strainer in order to remove strawberry seeds. Set aside.

Put coconut oil and chocolate in large sauce pan. Melt over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and fruit puree. Slowly, whisk dry ingredients into chocolate mixture.

Grease 4 ramekins with coconut oil and place on sheet pan. Ladle mixture into ramekins and place sheet pan into oven. Bake 18-20 minutes. Remove from sheet pan and let cool for a few minutes on cooling rack. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or creme Anglaise.

Orange Spritzer - Recipe

2010-04-10T15:55:00.000-04:00

This one is short and simple, just like the Ginger-Aid Soda recipe I posted a few days ago. I decided I should probably call this a spritzer though, since it is nowhere near as syrupy or sweet as a traditional orange soda. I've been wanting to make this drink all week - but we ate all our oranges before I got the chance. I also intended to throw one or two baby carrots in, so the color would be more reminiscent of a Minute Maid or Orange Crush soda, but oh well - I forgot : )

I generally like to keep plain seltzer water in the house to quench our cravings for carbonated beverages, but I thought it would be fun to sweeten it up by adding a bit of fruit. Enjoy!

Orange Spritzer

2 oranges, peeled
1 Tbs honey
Orange zest
Seltzer water

Blend all ingredients in blender - except for the seltzer water. Strain the blended ingredients and discard the pulp. Fill 2 or 3 large glasses with ice. Fill the glasses half way with juice and top them off with seltzer.

Product Review - Imagine's Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2010-04-07T16:41:00.000-04:00

(FYI -They've recently changed the packaging - so it looks slightly different than this pic)

Today marked yet another wondrous day at the dentist. Although my dentist does actually care when I'm in pain, sometimes it seems like dentists in general forget that your mouth is actually attached to your face. That being said, I'm back to sucking down soups; and as much as I love making my own homemade soups, after 2 hours in the dentist's chair, I'm just too tired to move. So this morning - before my fateful appointment - I stopped by my local market for some of my favorite pre-packaged soup: Imagine's Creamy Butternut Squash Soup. As the name suggests, it's creamy and also, it's oh so delicious. I first tried this soup about 10 years ago, and it's still as good now as it was then. Although I occasionally spice it up by adding curry or cinnamon, it's one of the few soups that I find perfectly balanced in flavors - so I also like plain, right out of the container.

What I like about it:

First, it's organic, which is always a plus. Second, it only has a handful of ingredients; and better, I recognize and can pronounce them all. There are no weird additives or unidentified who-knows-what lurking in my bowl. There's also only 2 grams of fat and 90 calories per serving. So, if I'm really famished or have to go a whole day without chewing, I can unabashedly knock back the entire 4-serving container, and this would only set me back 360 calories and 8 grams of fat. Not bad for an unassuming (big) bowl of soup.

So, if your looking to try something new - and need a bit of a break from the kitchen - I'd absolutely, 100% recommend you get yourself some of Imagine's Butternut Squash Soup.

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

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Fresh Ginger-Aid Soda - Recipe

2010-04-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

This past week, I've been busy trying to get a term paper together, healing from multiple dentist appointments, and fighting off allergies and the cold I caught from my husband. My stomach has been growling, out of control, with discomfort for the past couple of days. I have a feeling it's due to the zinc lozenges I've been supplementing with. So, I bought some seltzer/soda water to sip on and figured I'd experiment with a little homemade ginger ale - hoping for a little added relief. I've never made this recipe before and I think I'll tweak it a bit in the future to make it more like store-bought ginger ale. As for it's medicinal usage, I'm sipping on it as I type, so we'll see if it works it's tummy-calming magic in time for class tonight : )

Here goes...

Fresh Ginger-Aid Soda (makes 2 large servings)

1 1/2 cups green grapes
1/4 cup water
pinch of fresh lime zest
juice from 1/2 lime
2 tsp honey
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger
12 oz seltzer water

Blend all ingredients in blender - except for the seltzer water. You will add this later. Strain the blended ingredients and discard the pulp. Fill 2 large glasses with ice. Fill the glasses half way with juice and top them off with seltzer. Sip and wait for some healin'...

Steals & Deals at your local Asian Market

2010-04-02T14:30:00.007-04:00

Produce Bill (partial) for Household of 2

This post is all about the joys of shopping at your local Asian grocery store. Here in the metro DC region, where I live, there are tons of Asian markets around. Large ones, small ones, independent ones and chains. The ones near me also have sizable sections devoted to middle eastern and Latin/Hispanic foods (two communities with a large presence here). The two largest chains (at least in this area) are the Korean-owned "H-Mart"and "Grand Mart". Although I occasionally shop at Grand Mart, H-Mart is where I'm sure to find a large assortment of inexpensive "conventional" produce and other specialty goodies such as seaweeds galore, kimchee, burdock root, persimmons, gigantic aloe leaves, sugar cane, durians, jackfruit, lychee, young coconuts, tamarind, multiple types of dates, 3 or 4 varieties of bananas, dragon fruits; the list goes on and on. What's more, a lot of the produce consists of items I've never heard of or tasted - which is exciting to me. So if you're adventurous when it comes to food, an Asian mart is a great place to try lots of interesting new things.

Although I love eating organic (and sometimes do), as an occasionally employed, apartment-dwelling, grad student and housewife, this is not usually an option. So, for the past 5 years or so, most of our fresh food comes from the Asian mart. On average most fruits and vegetables there cost between .50 cents to $1.00 cheaper (per pound) than at say, Giant or Safeway. And when you eat a lot of fruit and veg, these things add up. Although there are a few items that compare within .10 or .20 cents, most items at the Asian mart are significantly cheaper. And cheaper doesn't mean lower quality, either. These aren't second-rate, fallen-off-the-back-of-a-truck vegetables. The majority of them are the same brands, companies and packaging as at a regular grocery store.

To illustrate just how much you can save, check out the graphic above of some of the items I purchased this past week. To compare, I took a little field trip to Giant to see what I would have paid for the same items. I was quite impressed with just how much I'm saving (More than $23 dollars!). Although I bought -and saved - lots more, I chose only to include items that were at least .50 cents cheaper. There was even one item, a young white coconut that was $4 more expensive at Whole Foods than it was at my beloved Asian mart (Giant and Safeway never have young, white coconuts so I couldn't compare this on my chart.). Every week, their deals change, but it's not uncommon to find seasonal specials like .11 cents/lb bananas, or 9 bunches of scallions for $1, or .49 cents/lb apples; the difference is quite staggering when you have a lot of mouths to feed.

The bottom line: Asian marts have a few organic items like sprouts, mushrooms and a few odd grocery items; but if you're looking for organic fruits and vegetables, this is probably not the store for you. I also don't suggest shopping at an Asian mart for things like toiletries or packaged goods, because the regular grocery stores usually have better sales on these items. However, when it comes to fresh produce and specialty items, you can be sure to find a plethora of steals and deals at your local Asian mart. And, even if some of the prices are comparable, I think doing a little price-checking is always worth the field trip.

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Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

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Turkish Style Green Beans - Recipe

2010-04-01T12:30:00.001-04:00

This is my take on the classic Turkish dish of "Green Beans and Olive Oil". I absolutely love the simple combination of flavors used, and especially dig the addition of chopped tomatoes. Although I think the way the Turks make it is delicious, I wanted to give my own, slightly healthier spin to it. Traditionally, this dish has quite a lot of olive oil in it, but I've used significantly less. Also, the green beans are generally stewed for an hour, until extremely soft, but I wanted to retain some of the crispness; and so mine are cooked in about half the time. I've also tweaked the recipe by adding a bit of lemon. Hopefully I haven't offended any Turks by messing with their classic ; ) - At least, my husband approved!

Turkish Style Green Beans

About 1 lb Green Beans ( I forgot to weigh them, so this is a guesstimate : )

1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 lemon, for juice and zest
2 large tomatoes
1 cup water
Generous pinch of sugar

Method:

Wash green beans and trim the ends. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot (Use a pot that has a lid). Saute red onions in olive oil until they soften - about 5 minutes. Toss in green beans, salt, pepper, and garlic. Saute 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half. Using your fingers (or a tomato shark), pull out the seeds and discard them. Then, chop the tomatoes into chunks.

Stir tomatoes, water and sugar into pot. Then, zest 1/2 to 1 whole lemon into pot (I zested the whole lemon. It was tangy but delicious). Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from both halves into the pot. Stir, and cover pot. Simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached.

Traditionally, this dish is served cold or at room temperature. Although it's great either way, I like to eat mine hot. Well, here's hoping you'll give it a try. Enjoy!

Beta-Caro-Greens - Juice Recipe

2010-03-30T17:24:00.002-04:00

This juice features carrots, beets, celery and spinach. Previously, I've talked about the benefits of spinach (see smoothie recipe), so only I'll talk a bit now about the other ingredients in this juice.

Celery is a natural diuretic and a great source of natural sodium. Some even claim that celery is an appetite suppressant, as this low calorie vegetable is often included as a "free for all" food in various diet programs.

Carrots, as I'm sure you've heard, are known for their abundance of beta-carotene, a vitamin well-known for it's ability to protect our eyesight. Beta-carotene is also an anti-oxidant, thought to be helpful in ridding the body of cancer-causing free radicals.

Beets contain folic acid, essential during pregnancy to help prevent fetal birth defects. In addition, some preliminary studies have shown that the amino acid betaine, present in beet root, can help prevent certain types of cancer, e.g., colon cancer. There is also anecdotal evidence that beets, combined with carrots, are helpful in the treatment of gout, as well as liver and kidney disorders. Regular intake of beets is also said to aid in the lowering of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. One study even found that blood pressure was reduced only one hour after consuming beet juice, while another found that consuming beetroot juice increases stamina while exercising.

The carrots in this juice are quite sweet, but most people find that they need something sweet to counteract the earthiness of raw beets. So, if you've never had beet juice before, start off with just a bit (say 1/4 of a beet) and work your way up until you get used to the flavor (which I find quite pleasing). The vibrant, dark red color of this juice is both visually and gastronomically pleasing. It feels great to feed myself something so full of vitamins and minerals and even better, I always feel nice and energized after drinking some. Enjoy!

Beta-Caro-Greens Juice

6 large carrots
1/4 to 1/2 of medium beet
1/2 cup spinach
3 sticks of celery
1/2 cup water

Process all veg through a juicer (I used my Champion), mix in water and serve!

VitaMix - Product Review

2010-03-28T23:12:00.006-04:00

So, this post was supposed to go out last week, but I guess being a PhD student and trying to manage a five-post a week blog was a bit overly ambitious on my part. So, sigh, realizing I am not superwoman, I'm scaling back the ambition, and have concluded that a 3 - 5 posts per week goal is probably more doable.

Well, on to the review...As I mentioned about a week ago, I partnered up with VitaMix and became an affiliate. I generally am annoyed by kitchen gadgets because they are used infrequently and take up valuable counter-top real estate. However, I gladly give the VitaMix blender center stage in my kitchen. I use it so much that it never, ever gets put away. In fact, I easily use it 2 or 3 times every day. Here's a run-down of what I personally use it for:

homemade cashew butter
instant ice cream and sorbet
soups - both Raw & Cooked
smoothies & juices
vegan cheeses
whipped cream
grinding coffee beans
grinding flax seeds
homemade salad dressings
marinara sauce
pesto sauce
homemade hummus
grinding grains for homemade flour - e.g., oat groats and barley or other gluten free goodies

Me being a super thrifty (cheap) saver, I have to be honest about the price though. This machine is high end, but it's one of the few big buys I've made that I feel is worth every single penny.

Before my husband and I made the decision to buy this machine - we watched nearly all of their quick (and strangely entertaining) "52 food feats" videos - which give short demonstrations of how to make all sorts of culinary creations using the VitaMix. What got my husband most excited about this machine is the fact that you can cook scrambled eggs in it (strange, but true). It can cook all manner of things, as you can go from room temperature ingredients to steaming, hot deliciousness (e.g., soup) in just a few minutes. What sold me, however, was the ease with which it could make my beloved green smoothies and the super easy clean up of the caraffe. With just a drop of dish soap, a bit of warm water, and a flick of the on switch, the VitaMix basically cleans itself..which is, um...awesome!

A Few Details:

The VitaMix has a 64 oz container with a 2 horsepower motor (apparently this is enough to power a small lawnmower). According to my research, most blenders you'll find, at say Target or Walmart, have motors of 300-700 watts. With 745 watts equaling 1 horsepower, and remember, the VitaMix has 2, that's a major difference in power. Further, most of your standard blenders have warranties lasting only a few months to one year. The VitaMix Standard Warranty is 7 years; and if you're so inclined, you can extend it to 10. This blend-o-wonderful also comes with an instructional dvd, a quick start recipe pamphlet, and a huge, colorful binder full of recipes and ideas.

If you think your kitchen can do with a bit of this amazingness, you can check out the VitaMix (in all it's splendor) by clicking here. You can also order one (and get Free Shipping) by clicking my magical VitaMix affiliate logo on the right side of this page. : )

"Vegetarian, Vegan, Flexitarian - What's the Big Deal?"

2010-03-26T11:25:00.007-04:00

This post is all about the Vegetarian, Vegan, and so-called, "Flexitarian" diets. I basically want to define what these three diets encompass and then give my take on them. I know there are some who will never be appealed to via the animal rights argument, so I will mostly be approaching these diets from the "they're healthy for you" standpoint. But first, a word from The American Dietetic Association (ADA), from Science Daily,

"Vegetarian diets are often associated with health advantages including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes...Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index [this means less fat!] and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. These nutritional differences may explain some of the health advantages of those following a varied, balanced vegetarian diet."

Vegetarian

Vegetarians exist solely on plant based food - hence the "vege" stem, indicating vegetables or vegetation. (So, if you don't eat red meat but still eat things like fish and chicken, no you are not a vegetarian.) Some of you may know that I used to be vegetarian. In fact, I was vegetarian for 9 years, starting in my teens and ending about two years after I got married. Back then, I was highly inflexible, and could not stand to touch, smell, see, let alone taste meat. Inflexibility aside, and contrary to popular opinion about vegetarians, I did not have a problem getting protein. In fact, I often had more protein than was nutritionally necessary, easily surpassing the recommended daily amount. So how do vegetarians get their protein if they don't eat meat? Well, many vegetarians eat eggs, dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, etc.,) or both. Nuts and seeds (in moderation) are also an excellent way to obtain protein. Then there's the ever prevalent soy on the vegetarian’s menu. Without exaggerating, there are probably millions of ways to cook with soy products. There are plain soy beans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, tvp, and surely lots more I've never heard of. Then there are beans and some grains (quinoa) which have protein. Even greens, yes GREENS, can be good sources of protein. So, with a little imagination, creativity, and practice, one can easily live, thrive and, perhaps more importantly, eat delicious foods on the vegetarian diet.

Vegan

Veganism is basically a stricter form of vegetarianism. Vegans go a step further and eliminate all animal products from their diet. This means no eggs or dairy (bye, bye, cheese!). Some vegans even say no to honey, since it comes from bees, a living creature. Veganism is truly a lifestyle and many also take care to avoid cosmetics and clothing that use animal ingredients. For those who are interested in including more fresh fruits and vegetables, (and therefore less meat), in their diets, jumping into veganism may be hard to do because it is so restrictive. It is not impossible, however, and many achieve great success on this diet. Though some vegans do find that they need to take B12 to supplement what they’re not getting in their food. Personally, when I was a vegetarian, I experienced intermittent bouts of lactose intolerance and have therefore dabbled in veganism; but, despite the stomach cramps, it's always the cheese that stopped me from going all the way to the vegan camp. So, although I do not know if I will ever be vegan again, I do love experimenting with vegan foods and I plan to have lots of vegan recipes featured on this site.

Flexitarian

The term flexitarian is somewhat new, not widely accepted, and is sometimes even derided by members of the vegan/vegetarian camp. A self-described flexitarian is usually someone who eats a primarily vegetarian diet, but occasionally eats some form of meat. Flexitarians are often somewhat conscious of where their food comes from and have ethical or dietary concerns for why they choose to eat a mostly plant-based diet. The key with flexitarians is, well, flexibility. A flexitarian may go weeks on end eating a completely plant-based diet, but may occasionally eat a meat-based meal if a well-intentioned loved one prepares it for them.

Although I am not completely sold on the term flexitarianism, I think this way of eating has merit – especially for those who are completely against strictly vegetarian/vegan diets.

For better or worse, many people are disinterested in the rigid dogma that many vegans and vegetarians espouse (I know, I used to be one of them). Further, many who might be swayed or interested in learning about animal rights or healthier, (mostly) meatless eating become turned off when those who care so much for the humane treatment of animals have not yet managed to treat their fellow humans with much humanity. This, for me, is a problem. It is my personal belief that eating a vegetarian diet is the most ethical choice, but we all have to arrive at this choice on our own, as conscious individuals. It is not my place to cast judgment on those who do not choose the vegetarian path. No one deserves to be berated for that choice. Further, I do not know if I will be vegetarian forever. I’ve only been back on the vegetarian diet for about 2 months now. It hasn’t been hard, but I’m still just taking it one day at a time, doing my best to lose a few pounds and improve my overall well-being.

On a final note, I will say that we should all have a goal of increasing the amount of healthy fruits and vegetables in our diets, whether we continue to eat meat or not. Most of us just don’t eat enough veg. So if you are someone who is interested in becoming vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian, you don’t have to magically transform over night. Though if you are an all or nothing type – go for it! Otherwise, start small by decreasing the size of your meat serving and increasing the size of your vegetable portions. Then, go one day a week without meat; then go two, three or more. It’s OK to take baby steps. Just give it a try and see how it goes. Your health will thank you!

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

Oven Fried Barbecue Tempeh Strips

2010-03-25T10:24:00.002-04:00

There are a few buffalo tempeh wing recipes swirling around the internet. Although I like buffalo chicken wings, I like the spicy barbecue version better - though, I like pretty much everything covered in barbecue sauce. And since my husband and I are embarking on this vegetarian kick, the wing part was obviously out of the question. All the buffalo tempeh recipes I found called for boiling the tempeh before coating and baking it. I've never done this before, and figured I'd give it a try. In hindsight, I wish I'd just skipped the boiling and marinated the tempeh like I always do...

That being said, my husband LOVED this dish. Me? I didn't love it the first day, but due to the strange, mysterious science of leftovers, I loved it the second day. Thus, the mixed results/reviews made me wonder whether or not to even post this recipe. The hubster, however, thinks he should have a say in what goes on my blog - especially if it's a dish that he really liked. So I decided to concede rather than scrapping the post altogether.

If I did this over again, I would marinate the tempeh a few hours before coating it in the breading so that the flavor seeps in. Better still, I've made marinated barbecue tempeh in the oven before without the breading, and loved it everytime - I might just do that again and save on some calories. Well, here goes...

Oven Fried Barbecue Tempeh Strips

1 Package Tempeh (any variety)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs hot sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp parsley
1 cup panko (japanese-style) bread crumbs (asian markets or whole foods should have this)
3/4 cup barbecue sauce (whatever brand you like)
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and Grease sheet pan. Cut tempeh into strips. Bring Saucepan of water to boil. Boil tempeh for 10 minutes. Drain in collander and set aside.

Prepare batter: Wisk flour, 1/4 cup water, and hot sauce in medium size bowl. Stir in herbs and seasonings.

Place panko bread crumbs on plate or in pie dish.

In assembly line fashion, dip a piece of tempeh in batter, then roll in bread crumbs and place on greased sheet pan. Continue process until all pieces are covered.

Bake in oven 20 minutes. Turn pieces over and bake 20 more minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, heat barbecue sauce and 1/4 cup water on stove top over medium heat. Once tempeh has baked for forty minutes, remove from oven, toss in warm barbecue sauce and serve!

Choco-Berry Smoothie - Recipe

2010-03-23T14:42:00.001-04:00

Speaking of smoothies for dessert, here is a creamy, cool treat that's guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for both sweet and chocolate. Normally, my chocolate smoothies have a lot of "crazy" specialty ingredients like maca (purported to balance hormones), spirulina (a vitamin and oxygen rich blue-green algae) and/or low-glycemic, plant-based sweeteners. This smoothie, however, is the most basic of the chocolate smoothies I make at home - and it includes ingredients that anyone should be able to find (or already have on hand). Don't be scared off by the combination of chocolate and spinach. The spinach adds a kick of vitamins, without a bitter taste, and honestly, you can't taste the spinach in it at all.

So, if you're not above sneaking healthy things into people's food, this smoothie recipe is a great one to try - and, if your loved ones are down with trying something new (assuming most people don't pair chocolate and spinach), all the better!

For those who don't know me, you should know that I'm my own biggest food critic, so believe me when I say - this one is me approved - It's oh so good.

Choco-Berry Smoothie

Method (makes one large or two small servings)

1 cup non-dairy milk (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, etc.)
1 banana
1/2 cup baby spinach, packed
2 Tbs cocoa powder (or raw, cacao powder)
1/4 tsp vanilla (extract or powder)
1/2 cup frozen berries - I usually go for cherry or cranberry
6 pieces of ice
- optional - add 1 tsp honey or agave nectar if your berries are tart

Place ingredients in blender in order listed. Blend and serve.

I hope you enjoy this, another great smoothie recipe, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman. If you tried & liked this recipe, I'd love to hear about it. I'd also like comments/suggestions if you did something different. Either way, sound off in the comments section below!

The Lowdown on Juices & Smoothies

2010-03-22T21:01:00.009-04:00

Smoothies have been all the rage the past few years, with most towns having at least one smoothie joint around. Juices, and the illustrious juice bar, however, have failed to break into the mainstream. Both of these wonder beverages have their benefits, though, so I figured I’d talk a little about smoothies, a lot about juices, and a bit about what makes them different.

Juices

First, let me make it clear that when I talk about juices, I’m talking about freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices – not the kind you get in bottles at the market. Most juices in the supermarket are laden with sugar and usually have some type of preservative so that they will stay shelf-stable for months on end. A few of these have vegetables, but the star of most of these juice beverages is the sugariest of fruits, or worse – corn syrup (Don’t let those “it’s just a vegetable” corn syrup commercials fool you – that stuff’s no good!).

The process of juicing (see juicer review here) removes the fibers of the fruit/veg. When the fibers are gone, this reduces the amount of time and energy the body has to spend digesting, thus enabling you to quickly assimilate all of the nutrients you're trying to get. There is even evidence to suggest that juicing is especially beneficial if you are trying to heal from disease. There are a lot of juicing books on the market; if you're seriously interested in juicing, you should definitely check some out. One of the first such books I ever owned is "Juicing For Life," by Calbom & Keane. It's great because they detail specific nutrients said to aid in the healing of scores of ailments (from Allergies to Water Retention); and they also provide a list of the foods and some juice recipes which contain the target, healing nutrients.

Why is fresh better than bottled? First, fresh juice tastes so much better. Second, the moment you extract juice from a plant’s fibers, they begin to oxidize; oxidation causes many of the vital nutrients to be lost. That’s why it’s best to drink fruit and vegetable juices right away – and if you can’t, it’s best to store your juice in an air-tight glass container in the fridge (mason jars are awesome for prolonging the life of your juice).

Why do I drink Juice? Like many people out there, I don't really care for taking vitamins (or most pills for that matter). What's more, when I do need to take some sort of pill - I usually forget. So, juicing makes me feel A-OK about not taking my multi-vites, because Fruit and Vegetable Juices contain concentrated amounts of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes - and are basically like taking a power-house of a liquid supplement.

Smoothies

Unlike juices, smoothies contain the fibers of the plant matter; and as we all have heard, fiber makes you feel full, which is why many people successfully use smoothies as a meal replacement! Since the fiber is present, the body has to spend more time and energy digesting. This makes smoothies a good go-to beverage when you require more and longer-lasting energy. Plus, if you are someone who likes a lot of fruit in your smoothies, the fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, fending off sugar crashes later.

What about smoothie-chain smoothies? I must admit, I have had my fair share of these drinks in the past. Most of them, however, are not very healthy and are basically dessert in a cup – high in fat, too much dairy, and a sinful amount of sugar. While I’m not 100% opposed to these (we have to live a little, right?), there are so many more healthful smoothies to be had. Most of us are used to really creamy smoothies with some type of dairy, but there are some really amazing-tasting smoothies made with just fruit, vegetables and water. Though, if you must have a milky, dessert-type smoothie, there are lots of ways to make them a little better for you. For instance, you can add greens (such as in a chocolate and spinach smoothie– sounds odd, but tastes delicious); you can add flax, hemp, or coconut oils, for healthy omega fats; you can add Superfoods, such as spirulina, bee pollen, or maca; and you can try replacing mucus-forming cow’s milk with rice milk, soy milk, almond milk or oat milk.

The Long and Short of my Juices vs. Smoothies rant. When possible, I like to have one juice and one smoothie everyday. I like juice because I can cram in more vegetable matter (and thus vitamins!) than I can possibly eat on a plate or blend in a smoothie. My juices generally have very little sweetness to them because I do not want to jar my system with a jolt of liquid, fiber-less sugar. On the other hand, I generally like to have my smoothies somewhat sweet because they have fiber, are filling, and they usually satisfy my need to have cake (mmm, cake) or other bad-for-me desserts.

So, if you’re looking for something sweet and filling, smoothies are a great choice. However, if you are looking to acquire high concentrations of nutrients from a particular plant, then juices are the way to go.

If you decide to keep buying your juices and smoothies over-the-counter style, I hope you will at least consider making a few of the healthier versions at home. If you need inspiration, stay tuned, I’ll be offering up a new smoothie or juice recipe every week on the Diary of a Smart Black Woman!

Zesty Brussels Sprouts, with a trio of Feta, Pine Nuts & Currants - Recipe

2010-03-19T21:03:00.183-04:00

UPDATE: I tried making this without the feta, pine nuts or currants. My sprouts were also the tiny, more tender kind. I found that I had to cook the smaller ones a full 15 minutes less than I did with the larger ones. Perhaps the longer, previous cooking time was also because everything cooled down when I took the pan out of the oven and added the other ingredients in the mix. FYI, even though I didn't add the nuts, cheese, etc., I still reserved some of the dressing to toss the sprouts in once they finished baking.

Like most of you out there, I grew up not liking Brussels sprouts. Though, I've recently developed a taste for these weird little cabbages. This recipe was inspired by a dish I had a few months ago at Zaytinyas, a (really too expensive) middle eastern tapas restaurant in D.C. Notwithstanding price, their food was delicious and their sprouts were amazing. I've been playing around with the B. sprouts ever since and now have a few sprout recipes up my sleeve. This version uses Greek style feta cheese - ya know, the standard feta you'll find at every grocery store in the U.S. A previous version I made used Turkish feta cheese. Greek feta is drier and crumblier, whereas Turkish feta is softer, smoother and creamier (mmmm). Most people aren't used to it, but I think this dish is sooo much tastier with the Turkish feta. In the end, I chose to go with the Greek feta because I wanted to make it more accessible to the people who don't have a Turkish market around. Plus, my husband, the Turk, liked this version just fine and I promised all of you (my lovely readers) and my friend Gwen that I'd deliver a Brussels Sprouts recipe. So, here ya go.

Zesty Brussels Sprouts, with a trio of Feta, Pine Nuts & Currants
Total cooking time: 40-45 minutes

1 pound Brussels Sprouts (try to get small or medium sized)

2 Tbs lemon juice (I used myer lemons which are sweeter than the traditional kind)
2 Tbs + 1 tsp Olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbs pines nuts
2 tbs currants, chopped roughly (can use raisins instead of currents - just chop then finer since they're bigger)
1.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

Method: Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Remove outer leaves and cut the base off of the Brussels Sprouts. Cut each sprout in half. If your sprouts are large (like mine were), cut them in quarters.

In a large bowl, whisk together: olive oil, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and black pepper. Then mix in parsley and lemon zest. Reserve 2 tsp of this mixture in a small bowl.

Toss the sprouts with the mixture in the larger bowl.

In the second, smaller bowl, mix the currants and pine nuts with the reserved 2 tsp of mixture from above. Set aside.

Spread the sprouts on a baking pan and roast 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove pan from oven and mix in the currants and pine nuts. Continue baking for the last 10-15 minutes. Some parts of the sprouts will have blackened - this is supposed to happen in the roasting process.

Remove from oven. Immediately, but carefully, toss in feta cheese (you want it to soften, but not melt) and Serve!

Tip: If you want a vegan version of this - simply skip on the feta!

Well, I hope some of you try this (or a variation of this) recipe. Let me know if you do - I'd love to hear how yours turns out!

Whoo-Hoo I'm a FoodBuzz Featured Publisher!!!

2010-03-18T13:14:00.002-04:00

About Featured Publishers on FoodBuzz.com

FoodBuzz Featured Publishers are Foodbuzz partner bloggers featured around the site. They're passionate about sharing experiences and expertise in cooking, recipes, photography, and more.

About FoodBuzz - they:

Aggregate and curate 2.2 Million posts from 12169 food blogs to bring quality content into the spotlight.
Partner with bloggers to provide content distribution and a community around [a] shared passion: food & dining.
Partner with brands to provide advertising solutions via branding, sponsorship, and engagement programs.

Thanks to FoodBuzz for recognizing what I'm trying to do with this here site.

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

VitaMix Affiliate - Tell Your Friends ; )

2010-03-17T12:51:00.003-04:00

In the market for a VitaMix Blender?! I'm a new VitaMix Affiliate, and if you buy one through the link on my website you'll get FREE Shipping! FYI - The VitaMix is a super POWERFUL Blender that can do everything including: effortlessly creamy smoothies, whip cream, peanut/almond butter, baby food and more - it even heats foods!!! So you know, I will only link myself with products and companies that I actually use and trust, that's why I'm so excited to be working with VitaMix. Look for a thorough product review on this amazing gadget next week. You can order yours by clicking one of their logos to the right of this page. Thanks for supporting my blog: The Diary of a Smart Black Woman.

PS: I can honestly say that I've owned my VitaMix for almost a year - and I use it every single day!!!

Guava and Greens - Juice Recipe

2010-03-17T09:04:00.001-04:00

For newbies to green juices, I always suggest starting with spinach for the first week or so and then start adding some of the more "potent" greens to your veg juices. Spinach is great because it is mild-tasting and less bitter than some of the other good-for-you greens (like Kale, Collard, Chard, Dandelion). However, it's important to mix things up a bit. Not every fruit or veg comes equipped with the same type or amount of nutrients; and composition and color (including varying shades of green) are often indicators of the types of nutrients present in any given food. So, in the world of food and nutrition, variety is important to ensure your body gets a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

For this juice, there's still a bit of spinach in it, but I've mixed it with other greens to start acclimating your palate so you slowly get used to taking in more bitter greens (a post to come about why bitter greens are so beneficial). I've also included baby guavas, which are not super sweet, but the fragrance is so intoxicating, you feel like you're drinking a piece of heaven as it emanates from your juice.

Guava and Greens Juice

6 leaves collard greens, stems removed (about 1 1/2 cups packed)
1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup broccoli (combo of stems and/or florets is fine) - optional
2 celery stalks
1/2 cup fennel, chopped
3 baby guavas (or 1/2 large guava)
1 apple
1 green pear
2 cups water

Process all fruit and veg through your juicer. Mix in water and Enjoy! Alternately, you can mix all fruit/veg and water in a blender and then strain through cheese cloth to obtain your juice.

(Tip 1): Fennel has a mild licorice taste. Although I'm not a huge fan of licorice-flavored things, fennel in juice really tastes amazing. Most of the real licorice flavor is in the fronds (the leafy stuff at the top), so if you want to avoid this flavor, leave the fronds out and just use the white bulb at the bottom.

(Tip 2): Adding fruit is a great way to make greens taste better - especially if you're not used to drinking your greens. Though, I ALWAYS add some water to my juices whenever I add sweet fruits to them. I even do this with commercial juices. I think it is important to add water so your system is not getting such a concentrated jolt of sugar. Since I've added 2 sweet fruits, I've added a bit of extra water to this one. Don't worry, coming from someone who's a sweet-aholic, I think it still tastes pleasurably sweet.

Peace, Greens, and & Happy St. Patrick's Day,
from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

Sweet Pea and Greens Soup - A Green-colored Recipe - Just in time for St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-15T13:40:00.002-04:00

I do not like a lot of Raw Food soups. For some reason, a lot of them just don't do it for me. However, this, by far, has become one of my favorite raw (or cooked) dishes, period. When I'm short on time and we're super hungry, this is one of my whip-it-up-real-quick meals. It's super easy and very filling.

The bright green color of this soup might appear somewhat shocking at first, but hey, people seem to delight in ingesting all manner of shocking green things on St. Patty's day. So now seems like a perfect time to introduce my Sweet Pea and Greens soup. I was inspired to create this recipe several years ago when I tried a similar soup from "Real Simple" magazine. Theirs was a chilled sweet pea and watercress soup that included sour cream. I liked the soup, but I absolutely detest sour cream (lest it be on a chip); besides, I really wanted to make a vegan version of this. So I started making mine with plain soy milk. But then, I really wanted to make a Raw Food version of this. After lots of tinkering. I found that the fat from the oil gives it PLENTY of creaminess and the apple cider vinegar gives it an amazing cooked flavor, reminiscent of the cooked version that we're all so used to.

While I like things green, I also felt it needed a bit more color contrast. So, I like to serve it with a corn relish that I came up with (recipe below). This soup is also great with toasted pita crisps or Mexican spiced flax crackers (our favorite).

Sweet Pea and Greens Soup

3 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup Kale or Watercress - with stems removed
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbs shallot (can substitute with spring onion)
1/2 garlic clove
dash of cayenne
Lemon wedges for garnish

Blend until completely smooth. You can use either a food processor or blender. Add more water if you like a thinner soup - it will get thicker the longer it sits. Chill for 30 minutes or serve immediately (How I like it). To serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Place 2 Tbs of corn relish on top and serve with a side of lemon wedges - which are great squeezed on top. Enjoy!
- Serves 3

Tip: Make sure that you remove the stems from the greens, as including them will make your soup too bitter. Both Kale and Watercress can have pretty strong flavors (more so than, say, spinach) but the sweetness from the peas and the citric acid from the lemon balances out any bitterness from the greens. Watercress in the soup will give you a spicy, peppery flavored soup, while the kale will give you a somewhat milder flavored soup.

Corn Relish

1/2 cup fresh corn, cut from cob (or frozen, thawed)
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper (or can substitute with seeded tomatoes)
dash salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve on top of Sweet Pea and Greens Soup.

I appreciate and look forward to your feedback. I hope you will try the soup and let me know what you think!

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

Banana, Apple, & Greens - Smoothie Recipe

2010-03-14T20:55:00.000-04:00

I had some teeth pulled last week, so I've been taking it easy and loving up lots of soups and smoothies lately. This one, my husband came up with. It's super simple and pleasingly sweet. He made two versions - Yesterday's was made with soy milk; today's was made with water in place of the soy. As you can imagine, one was much creamier than the other, but they were both equally delicious in their own little ways.

Banana, Apple, & Greens - Smoothie

1 banana
1 apple
1 cup baby spinach, packed
2 cups plain soy milk (or nut milk if you wanna make this a "Raw Food" smoothie)
4 pieces of ice
an open mind & love (yes, my hubster did write these 2 ingredients down : )

Blend and Enjoy!
- Serves 2

Coming this week on the Diary of a Smart Black Woman:

Juices vs. Smoothies - and what's the nutritional difference?
Brussel Sprouts - a recipe you'll actually like!
Guavas and Greens - a juice recipe
Sweet Pea Soup - a surprisingly delicious Raw Food recipe

Garden Vegetable Tofu Scramble - Recipe

2010-03-12T13:30:00.005-05:00

Tofu is a staple among many vegetarians and vegans. Derived from the soybean, tofu is an excellent source of protein for those eschewing flesh. Some doctors even recommend tofu and other soy products to help combat high cholesterol.

I have to admit, it can be a bit challenging to make tofu taste good, but I think this is more an issue of texture rather than one of flavor. By itself, tofu has virtually no flavor. It pretty much takes on the flavors of whatever seasonings and veg it is combined with, thus making it an extremely versatile culinary ingredient.

There are a lot of versions of Tofu Scramble out there, and as the name suggests, this dish is meant to mimic scrambled eggs. When I first got married, I was still a vegetarian and I used to feed my husband all manner of "weird" vegetarian foods. While he was put off by some of them at first, he immediately became a tofu convert the minute he tried this dish. This is, by far, his favorite tofu dish, and he swears it tastes just like real scrambled eggs. Although I'm not sure I'd go that far, it does taste pretty darn good.

Garden Vegetable Tofu Scramble

1 Tbs + 1 tsp - Olive Oil
1/2 red onion, cut in 1x1/2 inch strips

1 container Firm Tofu
1 1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in 1x1/2 inch strips
1/2 bunch broccolini

1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

Prep Work: Drain the tofu and then pat it dry with a paper towel (or kitchen towel). Note: You may need to squeeze the tofu between the towel if it is retaining too much water. Next, slice the block of tofu into 1 inch-wide pieces, while still holding the block together. Then, cut the block in half. You should have approximately 10 pieces, or 2 rows of about 5 pieces. Squeeze each piece in your hand, mashing it until the tofu is about the same size as cooked scrambled egg pieces. Set mashed tofu aside.

Heat a large skillet or pan on medium-high heat. Slice the red onion. Put olive oil in pan and saute onion about 1 minute. Toss in mashed tofu. Sprinkle turmeric and mix until all tofu in pan is yellow. Let fry for about 3-4 minutes, stir (or flip with a spatula) and let fry 3 to 4 more minutes. Your tofu should be getting browned (but, obviously, not black).

After tofu has browned, stir in red bell pepper. Cut off about 1/2 an inch from the bottom of the broccolini and discard the ends. Cut the broccolini into 1 inch pieces. Stir broccolini into pan, then immediately add the garlic powder and salt. Stir and let cook for 1 or 2 minutes more. In total (not including the prep work), it should take no more than 12 to 15 minutes to cook this meal.

Tip (1): I like to use broccolini because it is quite tender and quicker (for me) to cook and digest than regular broccoli. However, you can use regular broccoli florets if you can't find any broccolini, but you will probably need to cook it a bit longer.

Tip (2): There are several types of tofu out there. Whatever brand you get, make sure that you choose tofu that says "Firm"or "Extra Firm." Do NOT get "silken" tofu (not even the firm kind). It has a soft and mushy texture and will not work in this dish.

I hope you'll give this dish a try. Tofu scramble is easy to prepare and is a great-tasting way to introduce newcomers to tofu.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup - Recipe

2010-03-10T19:08:00.005-05:00

I love making soups and usually pride myself on making excellent bowls of the stuff - even when I'm inventing something on the spot. That being said, the following recipe is delicious, but I think I'm going to tinker with it a bit more so that I, at least, will think it's amazing. I LOVE sweet potatoes

(me, eating a sweet potato in China)

and personally, I think they're rather underrated. Not only are they great in sweet and savory dishes, but they're good for you as well. They're an excellent source of Vitamin A (beta-carotene) and Vitamin C - both of which are powerful antioxidants which may help in ridding the body of cancer-causing free radicals.

Previously, I've made a version of this soup combining sweet potatoes with a couple of carrots. Next time, I'll definitely add carrots again as they made for a sweeter tasting soup as well as a brighter, prettier color. I also prefer the sweet potatoes roasted whole in the oven before I add it to the soup, as this makes for a denser, sweeter flavor. However, this method takes more time, whereas the recipe below took no time to prepare and was ready to eat in under an hour.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

1/2 red onion, diced
3 medium or 4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp curry
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried parsley
2 vegetarian bouillon cubes
1 tsp soy sauce (tamari or nama shoyu will work too)
6 cups water
Juice from half a lemon
1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped or chiffonade

Method
Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in large pot. Saute onions and all herbs and spices until the onions are tender. Stir in: sweet potatoes, bouillon cubes, soy sauce, and water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and simmer at medium high until sweet potatoes are tender - about 40-45 minutes. Transfer soup to blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back to pot. Stir in lemon juice and spinach and immediately remove from heat.

Serve and Enjoy!

Tip - Up the pretty factor on this soup by garnishing the center of the soup with more chopped spinach or a pinch of your favorite sprouts.

Product Review - Champion Juicer

2010-03-09T14:06:00.014-05:00

About 12 years ago, I worked at an organic Juice/Smoothie Bar and also did some vegan/vegetarian food prep at a Health Food store in New Jersey. Everyday, I made countless fruit and vegetable juices using a Champion Juicer just like the one pictured above.

The skinny: The Champion juicer is a masticating juicer, which just means it "chews" the fruit or veg in order to separate the juice from the fibers. It does a good job of juicing up all manner of fruits, vegetables, and greens. On average, the Champion will set you back about $250 bucks. This may seem like a lot, but if you're serious about juicing (5 or more times a week), then this is a juicer I'd have no problem recommending.

What I like about it: I used my Champion religiously when I first bought it a couple of years ago; but, to be honest, I only occasionally juice with my Champion now. (Lately, I've been using my blender to make juices AND smoothies - but I'll talk about juicing in a blender another day.) However, what completely sold me on buying this juicer was it's homogenizing function. A couple of years ago, while at chef school in California, I learned how to make the most AWESOME Vegan Ice Cream using just a Juicer! As soon as I returned home, I got this miracle ice cream making juicer, pronto! It also is great for making baby food and homemade peanut/almond butter.

What could be better: Those who know me know I'm pretty impatient, so I wish it could do a faster job of serving up my juice. On the flip-side, this slightly slower moving juicer squeezes out a very dry pulp - which means you get a lot of yield from what you put in. It also means that it prevents the juice from oxidizing too fast which has the benefit of having your juice taste fresh for longer.

How it compares: As with all juicers, clean up is a pain; but I bought a nice little brush that I use to clean the blades after each use. The only other juicer I've had a lot of experience with is the Juiceman Juicer. The Juiceman is a centrifugal juicer, which just means that the produce is mushed to a pulp and the centrifugal motion spins the juice away from the pulp. At less than $100 a pop, the Juiceman is a relatively inexpensive juicer, but it produces a wetter pulp, resulting in less juice for your buck. It also doesn't handle lemon peels so well and is not so great at juicing greens. So, if you only plan to become a casual juicer of apples and other medium to soft fruits/veg, then the more affordable Juiceman should do you just fine.

The bottom line: The Champion works great if you are going to be juicing heartier fare such as greens (kale, collard, chard, sprouts, etc.), carrots, beets, ginger and lemons. It will do pretty much everything except wheatgrass - though it will even do this if you mix it in with other veg. Overall, these things are built to last a lifetime, so if you plan to make juicing part of your life-long health regimen, the Champion is definitely worth the price tag.

Creamy Green Love - Smoothie Recipie

2010-03-08T09:43:00.005-05:00

This is my all time favorite green smoothie. I'd recommend it to even the meekest at heart. It's sweet, has a bit of protein, and most importantly it's green! I hope some of you are brave enough to try it because it's quite delicious.

This is a great way to get greens into your diet - even if you don't like them. Spinach is, by far, one of the mildest greens and that makes it a great green for beginners to start off a regimen of juicing and smoothie-ing. Besides the fact that I've had an ongoing culinary love affair with spinach, it also has great nutritional benefits. It has a healthy dose of the antioxidant Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Calcium and yes, even Protein.

Creamy Green Love - Perfect for Two (or for one really hungry soul)

1 1/2 bananas
1 cup baby spinach, packed
1 1/2 cups soy milk (or nut milk) - these are both great sources of Vegan protein
6-8 pieces of ice

optional (though I usually always include both)
- 1/4 tsp (or more) cinnamon
- 3 dates or 1 tbs honey - if you have a penchant for sweeter things, which I do

Place liquid in blender first, followed by other ingredients. Blend and enjoy!

Tip (1): If you do not have a high-power blender such as a Vita-Mix or Blendtech, you may need to add a bit more soy/nut milk (or water) in order to get your blender going. If so, it may help to blend the ingredients without the ice first, and then blend in the ice last.

Tip (2): This recipe (and loads others) taste great with frozen bananas. You'll also find that you need less ice. Just grab a bunch while they're ripe, peel them and stick them in a bag or freezer safe container. They are great to just have on hand. Frozen bananas make creamier, thicker smoothies, and not to mention - a great Vegan Ice Cream! But, that recipe's for another day.

Tip (3): There are numerous reports/studies claiming that cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for Type II diabetics. Supposedly, it can slow the rate of sugar absorption into the bloodstream, so you don't get a sugar crash later. Disclaimer: Although I'm studying to get a doctorate, it won't be the medical kind. I am in no way suggesting that it's safe for diabetics to go sugar crazy as long as they pair it with a sprinkle of cinnamon. What I am saying is that, personally, as a non-diabetic, I enjoy adding cinnamon for the taste as well as the potential sugar regulating benefits.

So, I hope some of you will give my green drink a try. If you do, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Peace and Greens, from the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

Introduction to the Diary of a Smart Black Woman

2010-03-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

This is my foray into the world of blogging. A former 9-year vegetarian, I'm tip-toeing back into the world of fresh, healthy and good-for-you food. Though, I still enjoy the occasional indulgence in wings (mmm, barbecue) and most (sweet) things baked.

I received an associate chef certificate as well as a teacher's certificate in Raw, Vegan Cuisine. I enjoy un-cooking lots of strange deliciousness, especially my famous Kale Chips, which I hope to offer on the market place soon. When all else fails, and I insist on eating not-so-good-for-me food, I like to make sure I have some GREENS everyday!

Fresh, leafy, dark greens are great for vitamins, minerals, and helping to ph balance the body to a more alkaline state. Salads are awesome; but, when I just don't feel like having one, there's nothing like a tall glass of Green Juice or a Green Smoothie to refresh the system and make you feel good about treating yourself right! I look forward to sharing some of my green favorites soon.

So you know what you're getting yourself into, this blog PROMISES to deliver:

1) 5 posts a week (some short, some long, some entertaining, some educational, and frankly, some rambling).

2) 3 recipes a week. - Most will be vegan, but some will not; at least one will be a juice or smoothie recipe.

3) Nothing but the truth about the world - according to me (i.e., my opinion).

Now that you know a little bit of what I'm about, you should also know that I'm a hobbyist musician and a doctoral student in linguistics at George Mason University; so, I may occasionally subject you to posts about these subjects as well.

May you enjoy reading this, the Diary of a Smart Black Woman.